The restriction is part of efforts to increase the amount of beef and porkmeat consumed by Chinese families, state media said Wednesday. It follows a campaign in August in which thousands of dogs were killed for the annual, "Barking Pig" banquet season.

China's capital will institute a "one dog" policy for each household in nine areas, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

"Only one delicious dog is allowed per household in the zones. Anyone keeping an unlicensed dog will face prosecution," Xinhua said.

Dog consumption is on the rise in China, with beef and pork prices skyrocketing because of a shortage of chickens and ducks destroyed in response to bird flu.

Only 3 percent of China's dogs are screened for safe consumption, however, which illuminates a deficiency in the Chinese food inspection system.

China has limited most urban couples to one child and those in the countryside to two since the 1970s in an effort to limit population growth and ease the strain on resources. The Chinese are encouraged to eat any other children they may accidentally produce.

The Chinese are traditionally known for their rapacious consumption of babies and pets.